Recipe: Bran Muffins

I have time for a more leisurely breakfast at the moment. It is my favourite meal of the day.

Or, at least my favourite meal before lunch! I have a picnic table set up on my patio, which is nestled under a trailing laburnum tree, and surrounded by potted geraniums and hydrangeas. It is very pretty at the moment, and on warm days I eat my meals outside.

I've been thinking about bran muffins all week. When I visited New York with Madam Noir we had the most delectable breakfasts: green and white scrambled eggs with crispy bacon and a bran muffin was my usual choice. Bran muffins are not really available here, so I have been experimenting with various recipes. This is the winner, these muffins stay beautifully moist and are terribly easy to make. You can even keep the batter in the fridge, so can make fresh muffins each morning.

Bran Muffins are healthy, and not too sweet, so can accompany either a sweet or savory breakfast.

1.5 cups of bran

1.25 cups of full fat milk

1.25 cups of flour (white or wholemeal will work fine)

0.25 cup of soft brown sugar (add a bit more if you like)

1 tablespoon of baking powder

sprinkling of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg (just a little of each)

1-2 tablespoons of dried fruit or nuts (dried sour cherries are my favourite)

1 large egg

0.25 cups of oil (I use groundnut)

Method

Add the milk to the bran and leave to stand for 15 minutes or so. Use a large bowl for this, as all other ingredients will be added later.

Combine flour, baking powder, spices, sugar and dried fruit.

Add beaten egg and oil to bran mixture. Mix well.

Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Don't over mix.

Fill 12 muffin cases with the mixture and bake for 20 minutes, till firm and lightly golden. Don't overcook, or they will be dry. Serve buttered.